Color correcting process

ABSTRACT

Color relief studio photographs are color-corrected or modified with one or more applications of pure anhydrous diacetone alcohol followed by Flexichrome dye and steaming to fix or lock in the color corrections. The corrected photograph is then coated with a 50:50 mixture of Stabilizer (Eastman Kodak) and denatured alcohol and excess moisture removed.

United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,849,153 Giorgi 1 Nov. 19, 1974 [54] COLOR CORRECTING PROCESS 2,644,261 7/1953 Goetz 354/354 2,846,334 8/1958 Fleck et al. 117/2 R [76] Inventor 286 New Mam 3,262,381 7/1966 Zimmerman 117 2 R Yonkers, 10701 3,372,048 3/1968 Weissbein 117/2 R 3,607,358 9/1971 Dangl et al. 117/63 [22] filed May 1973 3,790,342 2/1974 Love et a1 8/73 [21] Appl. No.: 359,415

Primary Examiner-Michael Sofocleous [52] US. Cl 117/2 R, 96/2, 117/63,

Cl 4333 57 ABSTRACT [51] Int. [58] Field of Search 117 /2 R 63; 96/3; 8/3 Color rel1ef studio photographs are color-corrected or 8/20 354/348 354 mod1fied with one ormore applications of pure anhydrous dlacetone alcohol followed by Flexlchrome dye and steaming to fix or look in the color corrections. [56] gg gfig g gf The corrected photograph is then coated with a 50:50 mixture of Stabilizer (Eastman Kodak) and denatured Hochstetter l R alcohol and excess moisture removed 2,124,371 7/1938 Gschopf et a1... 8/3 2,238,400 4/1941 Scott 8/20 5 Claims, N0 Drawings COLOR CORRECTING PROCESS The present invention relates to a color correcting process and composition whereby it is possible to correct or modify the colors in otherwise completed relief color studio photographs which are contoured and which have been given colorations of the human or other subject of the photograph.

In my copending application Ser. No. 324,583 filed Jan. 18, 1973, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, I have explained that color changes sometimes occur in the relief color studio photographs which may result from the deterioration of the lacquer of other surface coating or from exposure to the atmosphere. Such changes can result from a variety of causes such as the lacquer coating itself becoming progressively yellower with the passage of time or the uncoated color studio photograph changes color or becomes off-color or discolored due to pollutants in the atmosphere. To these causes I now wish to add that in some instances the precise colors or hues of various portions of the relief studio photographs are not completely satisfactory to the photogra-. pher or technician who has made the same or may not be completely acceptable to the subject who ordered or posed for the photograph. The present invention makes it possible to bring about necessary or desired color corrections or changes regardless of their nature or source.

I have now discovered that these color corrections and changes can be carried out by what I term a special dye solution or composition, although it will be understood from what follows that the dye solution or composition is not made up beforehand, but that the components are used in a particular manner. My discovery is based upon the use of pure diacetone alcohol which is free from ketone (acetone) impurities and also free from water. Diacetone alcohol is known and is chemically 4-hydroxy-4-methylpentanone-2 with the empirical formula: CH COCH C(CH OH. It is a colorless pleasant-odored liquid of specific gravity 0.9406 at 20/20C and has a boiling point of 169.1 C at 760 mm Mercury pressure. This'diacetone alcohol is used in conjunction with Eastman Kodak Flexichrome Dyes or other wax-soluble, water-insoluble dyes or pigments which are commercially available in a number of different colors, e.g. magenta, blue, cyan, yellow, red, green, neutral (fleck of black), brown, orange, flesh and white (a reducer) and these are customarily sold in plastic jars or other containers wherein the pigments are combined with a suitablewax or waxy base material such as paraffin or beeswax. While I have referred to a dye solution it is now understood that the diacetone alcohol and the Flexichrome dye are not premixed, although the latter is soluble in the former, but the components are used in a special way utilizing this solvent-solute relationship which is now described. The composition is thus a two-part composition, the components of which are used consecutively.

Assuming that a colored relief studio photograph has been produced in accordance with my aforesaid copending applications Ser. No. 170,433 filed Aug. I0, 1971, now US Pat. No. 3,772,106 and Ser. No. 310,699 filed Nov. 30, 1972, the contents of which are also incorporated herein by reference, and assuming further that it is desired for one reason or another to make color corrections or changes in portions of the otherwise completed studio photograph, I apply with an applicator having absorbent cotton on one end, or alternatively with the fingers, a small amount of anhydrous diacetone alcohol over the entire surface of the colored studio photograph or optionally I may apply the diacetone alcohol as a thin coating to pre-selected areas only. The application of the diacetone alcohol to the surface of the colored photograph does not damage the photograph and has been found to render the colors readily susceptible of change or correction and thereafter with a like applicator or by means of the fingers the desired Flexichrome dye or dyes is or are applied to the areas to be corrected. More than one area may be so treated at about the same time since the diacetone alcohol evaporates fairly slowly and slowly enough to provide adequate time to make all the necessary color corrections or changes.

For example, if the photograph is of the upper portion of a human subject it may be desired to change the coloration of the exposed skin such as on the face, neck, arms and hands or the hair, or to change dress or garment color either because the initial coloration was not as precise or natural looking as desired or because the photographer or the subject decided that some color corrections and changes would better bring out the appearance and personality of the subject of the photograph. After one or more areas of the photograph have thus been color corrected or changed, the added dye or pigment is smoothed or otherwise feathered, and the thus altered color photograph is subjected to a brief steaming which renders permanent the colors or color changes and locks in the dyes or pigments. Thereafter it is not possible to remove the colors. In the event that the first color correction or change needs additional corrections such as deepening or enriching the color tones, the foregoing steps can be repeated as many times as necessary, e.g. l to 4 times, to obtain a fully satisfactory color photograph. Where the steps of applying the diacetone alcohol and then the Flexichrome dye or pigment are to be repeated it is understood that the steaming step is also repeated until the final color tone and richness are fully attained and at that time the final steaming is carried out which can be either by introducing the color corrected photograph into a steam chamber or by directing steam from any convenient or suitable source against the surface of the photograph.

As a final step the color corrected photograph is coated rapidly with Eastman Kodak Stabilizer which is commercially available. This is done by mixing percent of the Stabilizer and 50 percent denatured alcohol by volume and spraying the mixture on the otherwise finished color photograph. After this is done a cotton or other applicator is gently passed over the thus treated surface so that there are no droplets or other liquid particles remaining. A vinyl finishing coating is then applied, if desired, according to my aforesaid copending application Ser. No. 324,583. While the Flexichrome dyes above referred to provide a generally adequate range of colors or tones, special effects or colors or tones can be made up by combining dyes or pigments in suitable proportions as will be understood by those familiar with color mixing and. blending.

What is claimed is:

l. A process for color-correcting areas of a color studio relief or other color photograph having applied colors which comprises applying anhydrous diacetone alcohol to selected areas of the photograph to be modified and then treating those areas with a selected'dye soluble in diacetone alcohol but not in water, steaming the thus treated areas and treating said steamed photograph with a 50:50 mixture by volume of denatured alcohol and a stabilizer.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the steps of applying diacetone alcohol and dye and steaming are repeated one or more times until the required color t nes and. l n s tobta mad- 3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the color- 

1. A PROCESS FOR COLOR-CORRECTING AREAS OF A COLOR STUDIO RELIEF OR OTHER COLOR PHOTOGRAPH HAVING APPLIED COLORS WHICH COMPRISES APPLYING ANHYDROUS DIACETONE ALCOHOL TO SELECTED AREAS OF THE PHOTOGRAPH TO BE MODIFIED AND THEN TREATING THOSE AREAS WITH A SELECTED DYE SOLUBLE IN DIACETONE ALCOHOL BUT NOT IN WATER, STEAMING THE THUS TREATED AREAS AND TREATING SAID STEAMED PHOTOGRAPH WITH 50:50 MIXTURE BY VOLUME OF DENATURED ALCOHOL AND A STABILIZER.
 2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the steps of applying diacetone alcohol and dye and steaming are repeated one or more times until the required color tones and richmess are obtained.
 3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the color-corrected areas are parts of a human subject or the raiment thereof.
 4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the dye has a wax base. 